Can Loneliness Help in Avoiding Crime?

Humans are born as social beings. From the time we are born to the time we die, we live in the company of several others and are directly or indirectly dependent on others. Even during work, when there’s a streamlined process with everyone knowing their roles, the work is done faster and better. In such a scenario, one can’t think of a possibility of a lonely existence.

In fact, loneliness has been associated with several psychological problems and disorders. Loneliness is also linked with several of the psychopaths in the history of the crime world. Another side of the coin is that loneliness lets one reflect on themselves, and also the worst criminals get to face solitary confinement to make sure they get to reflect on their actions.

The Bet by Anton Chekov

The story narrated by Anton Chekov has a banker and a lawyer argue which is the worse form of punishment. The banker argued capital punishment to be more humane than solitary confinement, to which lawyer countered and there came a bet wherein the lawyer will spend 15 years in solitary confinement and will get money once he completes the sentence.

On the last day, just before he’s about to complete, the lawyer decides to run away, so proving that solitary confinement isn’t only life-changing, but also shows values of real things. Although a fictional writing, it proved that loneliness can be a cure if proper books are made available and the person spends time enriching himself or herself.

Loneliness as a Stressful Process

Many psychologists and researchers have studied about loneliness. They state that loneliness is a slow process which ultimately builds up the blood pressure and stress hormones, destroying the quality of life and sleep in the process. The person is unable to reach his or her true potential and gets stuck in the vicious circle wherein his loneliness keeps him at bay from full life experiences.

There’s no true happiness or sadness, there’s no one to share anything with. There’s a risk of suicide that increases, as also, in extreme cases, turning to be a psychopath. There’s also the problem of seeping negativity and nobody being there to check it, nobody to confide.

Crime is the result of a disturbed or unfit mind. While in some cases loneliness may help cure the problems, especially if provided with the resources to develop, in most cases, loneliness only holds the chances of becoming worse than before. There’s actual data on how loneliness can increase crimes and suicides. A suicide is committed every 40 seconds.

Most of the suicides are a knee-jerk reaction to psychological problems. If the psychopathic behaviour has its roots in a troubled childhood, eventually it will lead to loss of emotional support. Loneliness takes away the emotional support every human being needs. There are both sides of the coin being present, and it always depends on situations. Overall, it’s better to have the company of a closed few people, but there should always be that space where you could be yourself.